President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador has formally proposed a humanitarian agreement to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, offering the repatriation of 252 Venezuelan nationals deported for alleged links to transnational criminal groups such as the Tren de Aragua, in exchange for the release of 252 political prisoners currently detained in Venezuela.
The offer, shared by President Bukele through his official social media channels, highlights the stark contrast between El Salvador’s anti-gang enforcement efforts and Venezuela’s widely condemned political detentions. «Unlike you, who have political prisoners, we do not,» Bukele stated. «Our detainees were captured during coordinated operations targeting violent criminal networks operating in the U.S.»
Among the individuals Bukele seeks to see released are prominent Venezuelan figures such as journalist Roland Carreño, human rights lawyer Rocío San Miguel, and Rafael Tudares, son-in-law of opposition leader Edmundo González. The proposed exchange also includes foreign nationals from over 20 countries—among them citizens of the U.S., Germany, Argentina, and France—many of whom are reportedly detained for political reasons.
The 252 Venezuelans currently held in El Salvador were deported by the United States under the Alien Enemies Act and relocated to the CECOT mega-prison, following alleged ties to the Tren de Aragua. U.S. agencies have increasingly focused on the gang’s transnational reach, which includes human trafficking, extortion, and homicide. In 2024, the U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on the group and announced $12 million in rewards for the capture of its leadership.
President Bukele’s proposed agreement underscores a strategic and humanitarian shift in regional policy, calling on the Maduro regime to prioritize the freedom of individuals imprisoned solely for political dissent. The Salvadoran Ministry of Foreign Affairs will formalize the proposal in writing.
“God bless the people of Venezuela,” Bukele concluded.